


It Was You!

by PhageChildon



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: just a short one shot~
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:42:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26352097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhageChildon/pseuds/PhageChildon
Summary: Natori sees Tanuma acting strangely and decides to confront him
Relationships: Natsume Takashi/Tanuma Kaname
Comments: 3
Kudos: 65





	It Was You!

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this short oneshot a while ago before things got crazy in the world and decided to upload it!

It’s a hot sunny day. Even with the sun going down the heat didn’t seem to give in, making Natori relieved he arrived too late to ask Natsume if he wanted to grab dinner with him. In this heat, they’d probably literally stick together on their way to the restaurant. Maybe next time.

Turning to walk back to the station, he saw Hiiragi stop in her tracks, her gaze focusing on something off to the side. Wondering if it’s someone he knows, he turns his head slightly, his eyes settling upon a very familiar black haired teen wearing the same school uniform as Natsume, except his clothes were in complete disarray. The black jacket was unbuttoned and covered in dirt while the long sleeve white undershirt was untucked from his pants in places. Even his hair looked like a bird attacked him after trying to make a nest in it. 

Tanuma, his mind easily supplied, knowing his disheveled appearance wasn’t normal.

“Master,” Hiiragi said, making him squint his eyes a little bit more, only to curse under his breath. A darkness with a suffocating aura surrounded his body, making it known that he was cursed by a rather powerful youkai.

Somehow Natori wasn’t surprised. What did surprise him was that Natsume was nowhere in sight. That could only mean one thing – Natsume had no idea he was cursed, and Tanuma needed help. 

“Long time no see Tanuma,” Natori smiled as he approached, watching Tanuma’s body flinch out of whatever numb trance he’d been trapped in. It took Tanuma a few moments to process anything as his entire body felt so sluggish and severely fatigued he wanted to pass out. However, once he realized who was standing in front of him, his eyes widened both in shock and surprise.

“Natori? What are you doing here?” What kind of bad luck did he have that one of  _ Natsume’s _ friends who was well versed in the youkai world found him in this state? He probably would’ve walked right past him if it weren’t for the stupid curse to begin with.

“Just passing through,” Natori lied with practiced grace as he adjusted his glasses. He knew how close Natsume and Tanuma were. If the black haired teen wasn’t asking Natsume for help, it meant they were either fighting, which was rare from what he’s heard, or Natsume was already wrapped up in some other youkai business, which wouldn’t be surprising. “What are you doing out here by yourself? It’s getting pretty late.” He wondered if the other would even admit he was cursed. It was obvious in his nervous gaze and stumbling of words that he didn’t want Natori to notice.

“I was running some errands,” Tanuma cautiously said, his voice not sounding all that confident. Natsume was right, Tanuma was a terrible liar. “Got kinda tired, and here I am.”

_ ’As much as I want Tanuma to feel comfortable enough to tell me when something’s wrong, sometimes I have to be frank with him so he knows his problems aren’t a burden on me.’ _ Natori remembered Natsume mumbling over a cup of tea in his apartment, the teen seeming to agonize over the thought of drifting apart from Tanuma. It’s been happening a lot lately, and although Natsume’s too naïve to understand why, the exorcist knew.

“Why didn’t you ask Natsume for help?” Natori plainly asked, watching the other’s face pale over considerably.

“What? H-help with what?” Tanuma nervously asked as he avoided his gaze. When Natori didn’t speak, the teen let out a shaky breath, knowing this was inevitable. “Natsume collapsed during school today,” he started, looking down at his shaky hands. “Of course he said he was okay, but Ponta said he was being harassed by a youkai and it snuck into school. It’s a dangerous one, and he didn’t want me involved, so…”

Natori audibly sighed, understanding both sides of the story. Being just like Natsume, he knew how horrifying it was to put someone who couldn’t defend themselves in harm’s way. Even though Tanuma wasn’t completely helpless in this situation, as he started learning a few things from his father much to Natsume’s dismay, it was still far too dangerous to involve him without being able to clearly see youkai, let alone know how to deal with them.

“You didn’t want to give him more to worry about,” Natori finished, watching the other nod solemnly. Glancing up at Hiiragi, he sat next to the other on the bench, watching the way Tanuma’s body started to sway a bit, as if he was about to pass out. Hiiragi got ready to catch him if he suddenly fell over. “I get it, he would’ve done the same, no matter the situation,” the exorcist admitted, watching Tanuma let out a soft nod in agreeance. “But what was your plan to rid yourself of the curse?”

At that, the other went silent as those black strands hid his expression as his whole body once again grew rigid, proving his assumption.

He had no plan.

“My father’s coming home today, so I was going to ask him to cleanse me,” Tanuma’s voice was dark and void of emotion, obviously knowing it was a stupid idea. The poor kid was practically letting himself fall prey to the curse, but Natori wouldn’t let him.

“Good thing I happened to be passing through,” the exorcist smiled, watching the other’s shocked eyes meet his own. “Cleansing will stall it, but it won’t get rid of it.”

“I… can’t ask that of you-“ Natori interrupted him by pressing a gentle hand on his shoulder, silencing his words. Natsume and Tanuma were so alike, he hoped that would help them push past their boundaries and learn to rely on others more and grow.

“You don’t have to, I want to help. Natsume talks so much about you I feel like we’re friends,” he chuckled, watching Tanuma’s pale face grow red with a blush. It only made him chuckle more.

“I don’t have a lot of money to give you, and I still haven’t thanked you for saving my life with that rock at the mansion,” Tanuma mumbled, making Natori shake his head as he stood.

“Well, if you feel like you owe me, then there is  _ something _ you can do,” he smiled, watching the other look up at him attentively. “I want you to talk to Natsume freely about your feelings for him.”

Hiiragi moved forward as Tanuma nearly fell off the bench in pure shock, his whole face including his ears turning red.

“Wh-what do you mean, f-feelings for him?!” He stammered, his hands nervously clenching the bench as he slightly rocked a few times. “O-oh, yeah, I’ll make sure to tell him next time this happens.”

Were teenagers always this difficult? Of course they were. “I’m pretty sure you know what I mean when I say that,” he smirked, watching the other nervously meet his eyes. “I know we’ve only hung out a few times, but I don’t need to be born with spiritual powers to see how deeply you both care about each other.”

Tanuma bit his bottom lip, not believing he was actually having this conversation, let alone with Natori of all people. How could someone he hardly knew know how he felt about Natsume? Was he really that obvious?

Seeing the edge of nervousness settle in, Natori gently patted him on the head, trying to soothe away the negative emotions. “You should hear what he says about you,” Natori reassured, watching the other somehow blush even more. “I don’t want to see Natsume sad, so trust me when I say this, you’ll be fine.”

Tanuma’s heart was beating wildly in his chest as so many questions and thoughts raced through his mind. It all boiled down to this: Natsume must have similar feelings if Natori was pushing for this, even if it was nearly impossible to believe.

“What… has he said?” He asked, looking up at the exorcist with a fragile expression.

“Ask him yourself,” Natori merely shrugged, making Tanuma glare slightly at his teasing. “Come on, let’s get rid of this curse.”

A week passed since then, and once again Natsume was arguing with Sensei with a jar of marmalade in his apartment. The teen called earlier today saying Touko made some for him again, and that he wanted to talk to him about something. Although Natsume was trying to be inconspicuous, his light and over joyous mood only confirmed his suspicions.

Tanuma paid his bill in full.

Grabbing the tea he just made, he brought it over to the table as he watched Natsume take a drink of his cold water, realizing it was better if the teen spilled that instead of the hot tea. “I bumped into Tanuma the other day,” he deviously smirked. Instantly Natsume spat out his water as his entire face and ears became red, those golden shocked eyes staring directly into his own as if wanting to yell **_It was you!!!_ **

Natori couldn’t help but laugh, more than satisfied with the payment. 


End file.
